Publications and talks of Rod Benson

A list of most of my publications and public addresses as at 17 October 2024. Transcripts of my sermons are available here. Publications Books Here We Stand: NSW Baptists and Contemporary Social Issues (second edition; Glebe, NSW: Baptist Union of NSW, 2004). Book chapters โ€œโ€˜Extracurricular activitiesโ€™: The ecumenical service of Deaconess Margaret Rodgers AM,โ€ in Erin …

Mountains of Scripture (9): unnamed mountains of the Hebrew Bible

Sunset over mountains in Lebanon, to the north of Israel. Advent is upon us, the end of the academic year approaches, and for our final reflection on mountains in the Hebrew Bible I want to take you to a special unnamed place. There are many references to unnamed mountains in Scripture. For example, in Deuteronomy …

The Bible in Photography: Index, Icon, Tableau, Vision

Sheona Beaumont, The Bible in Photography: Index, Icon, Tableau, Vision (London: T&T Clark, 2024). 227pp. ISBN 9780567706539 Reviewed by Dr Rod Benson Women grinding wheat at Ramallah, Palestine, early twentieth century. Photo: public domain. In this book, British academic Sheona Beaumont explores the photographic representation of biblical narrative through the lens of twentieth-century cultural criticism. …

Mountains of Scripture (4): Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai, also known as Mount Horeb, is twice called โ€œthe mountain of Godโ€ in Scripture. Unlike most other mountains where significant events in salvation history occurred, we are not given any definite information about the mountainโ€™s precise location, height above the surrounding region, or physical appearance.  From the biblical references, we can say that …

The Bible in the Early Church

Justo Gonzรกlez, The Bible in the Early Church (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2022). 186pp + indexes. ISBN 9780802881748 Reviewed by Dr Rod Benson When Christians and people of other or no faith ask me questions about the Bible, they typically donโ€™t ask why I regard the Bible as trustworthy, or why I shape my life on …